Disappearing sprinkler.



L. H. PARKER.

USAPP'EARING ASPRINKLER1 Awucmon FILED MAY x2. 19u.

Patented Mal'. 19, 1918;

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fllllllllllllllllllllllll||Il LH. PARKER. DISABPEARING sPmNKLEs. APPLICATION FILED MAY I2. 191?.v

1,259,902, men-rea M3119, 1918.

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@y @WWW/@7% UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

LEE H. PARKER, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SPRAY ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

DISAPPEARING SPRINKLER.

To all 'whom t may con-cem:

Be it known that I, LEE H. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Disappearing Sprinklers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention relates to liquid distributing devices, and especially to water sprinkling devices, which duringI periods of nonuse rest substantially Hush with or below the level of the ground or other surface, and which in periods of use project thereabove.v

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a sprinkler constructed in accordance with my invention; A

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of such sprinkler in a position of non-use; y

Fig. 3 is'a similar view, but representing the sprinkler in a position of use; j

Fig. 4 is a transverse section representing certain guiding vanes which may be used in connection with the sprinkler; and

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the preferred ymanner of controlling one or more sprinklers from a more or lessA distant point.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a liquid distributing device which may be used for general purposes but which preferably is'shown as a lawn or like sprinkler. I provide means whereby said sprinkler may during periods of non-use be positioned substantially at or below the level of the surface and whereby through means, preferably operable from a distance, the sprinkler 1s moved or projected into a position of use.

While various means, preferably operable from a distance, may be employed to move or project the s rinkler into a position of use, preferably I provide a water supply, the controlling valve of which is located at some distance from the sprinkler or sprinklers. The opening of said valve acts automatically to project the sprinkler into position for use and the shut-olf of the water permits the automatic return of the sprinler to position of non-use. j Preferably I provide means whereby the sprinkler is locked during positions of non-use, so that Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patented Mar. 19, 191,8.

Application led May 12, 1917. Serial'No. 168,263.

it cannot be tampered with and can only be n projected by turning on the water.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, re resented a casing or housing 1 which may e of any suitable form, but which preferably is tubular and which at its' lower threaded end 2 has connected therewith a water supply pipe 3 which, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5, leads from some more or less distant point of supply, and which is controlled by a valve 4. As indicated in Fig. 5, I may provide one or more sprinklers all controlled from the same valve, or if preferable I may provide a separate valve for each sprinkler.

I employ the term sprinkler in a 'generic sense, since obviously any suitable liquid may be distributed in accordance with my invention, and the nozzle or other distributing means may be of any suitable type and maybe widelyvaried. The upper end of the casing or housing is preferably somewhat enlarged, and the upper edge 5 thereof preferably is substantially iush with or it may be below the level of the ground or other surface through which the water is supplied. I have herein represented the casing as having ,an integral projection 6 within which is pivoted at 7 a cover 8, which is hereinafter more fully shown as adapted to be automatically lifted by the projection of the nozzle due to the turning onl of the water.

I have herein represented the casing 1 as -having an internally threaded portion 9 re- -ceiving an externally threaded sleeve 10, within which is fitted for sliding axial movement the tubular member '11, which is open at its lower end l2 and communicates with the pipe 3, The upper end of the tube 11 may be equipped with any suitable type of nozzle, such, for example, as that shown in the patent to Eneas, No. 1,101,264, June 23- 1914.

I have herein represented the extreme upper end of the tube 11 asinternally threaded at 13 to receive the externally threaded head 14. Said head 14 has formed integral therewith, or if desired attached thereto, an inner tubular member 15 constituting the central portion of the nozzle. Said. member 15 is herein shown as having a conically shaped chamber 16 at the upper end terminating in?l a jet opening 17. Preferably saidxnember;

SOI

to receive a. sleeve 19 provided with a lower sloping surface 2G between which and the upper end of the tube 11 the water may be discharged. At the lower end of said tubular member 15, I have herein represented a ring 21 having a series of guiding vanes 22 held in position in any suitable manner and herein by a cross pin 23, which, passing through the lower end ofthe tubular member 15, holds said ring 21 with its vanes in position, preferably with capacity for slight play. The water issues in a central jet through the opening 17 and laterally between the sleeve 19 and the upper end of the tubular member 11.

Within or in communication ywith the conical chamber 16, I preferably provide a central member 24 having an axial opening therethrough for the passage of water and also peripheral grooves 25 for one or more surrounding jets or streams of water which become'suitably intermixed with the water passing through the central opening prior to the issuance of said several jets from the nozzle.

It is apparent, however, that any other suitable type or form of nozzle or liquid distributing device may be employed, my invention being broadly applicable to various types or kinds of water or other liquid distributing devices.

The tubular member 11 has a sliding t in the sleeve 10 and the admission of water into the pipe 3 under suitable pressure acts against the under sideof the nozzle to lift the latter as well as the tube l1 into the position shown in Fig. 3. The nozzle in such projecting movement contacts with the under side of the cover 8 and tilts the same into the position shown in Fig. 3. When the Water supply is cut off, the nozzle and its supporting tube 11 sink back into the position shown in Fig. 2.

Preferably I provide means to prevent tampering with the nozzle when in position of non-use; that is, when the water is cut oil'.

I thus prevent access to the nozzle, which otherwise might readily be stolen. While for this purpose I provide anysuitable means, herein represent the cover 8 as having a laterally projecting lug 26, which is of such size and is so positioned with relation to the side wall 27 of the head 14 that when the nozzle is in the positionv shown in Fig. 2, said cover 8 cannot be elevated suiiiciently to permit access to theinteror of the casing or housing 1. When, however, the noz- .zle and its supporting tube 11 are elevated as into or toward the position shown in Fig. 3, the cover is permitted to tilt upwardly, inasmuch as the lug 26 does not bear with a binding grip upon the tube 11.

I have referred t0 my invention as particularly designed for use as a lawn sprinkler. It is, however, evident that it is capaneeaeea ble of use in many other and different rela tions. lVhile preferably I project or move the nozzle into a position of use through the act of turning on the water or other liquid supply, it is evident that such projection of the nozzle may be eiected in other ways and that the projecting means may be arranged at any suitable distance from the nozzle or in close proximity thereto. By providing a suitable key for turning .on the Water, it is evident that tampering with the nozzle or sprinkler is prevented either through the casing or externally:

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes' of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

l. A sprinkler having operative and nonoperative positions, means to supply water thereto, means whereby through the water supply the movements of the sprinkler to and from said respective positions are controlled, and means under the control of the water supply for securing the sprinkler in non-operative position.

2. A lawn or like sprinkler havin@l an inactive position at or below the level of the ground, means to elevate said sprinkler above such position for operation, means to lock the sprinkler in inactive position and means at a point spaced from said sprinkler 100 for eiiecting the unlocking of the sprinkler.

3. A sprinkler having means under the control of the water supply to the sprinkler to lock tlie same in a position substantially at or below'the level of the ground.

4:. A sprinkler having a closure, means to lock the same therein, and means 'controlled by the flow of water to unlock said sprinkler.

5. A sprinkler having a closure, means to lock the same therein, and means operable 110 from a distant point to unlock said sprinkler.

6. A sprinkler having a casing, means to lock the sprinkler therein, means to project the sprinkler from the casing, and means whereby the return of the sprinkler into the 115 casing ei'iects the locking of the sprinkler therein.

7. A sprinkler having a casing, means for locking the sprinkler therein, means to supply water thereto, means whereby the act ot 120 supplying water projects the sprinkler from its casing, and means whereby the cut-off of the water supply effects the return of the sprinkler to its casing andv the locking of the same therein.

8. A liquid distributing device, a receiving casing therefor, means operable from a distance to project said device 'from said casing into distributing position, and means under the control of said means eperable ies msaeoa from a distance to lock said device in nondistributing osition. o

9.` A liqui distributing device, a receiving casing therefor, means to supply liquid to said device, means controlled by the supplyr of liquid to projectsaid device from said casin into distributing position, and means un er the control of said projecting means to lock the device in non-distributing l position.

10. Aliquid distributing device, a receivng casing therefor, means to supply liquid to said device, means controlled by the supply of liquid to projecty said device from said casin into distributing position a cover having. beneath the upper sur ace thereof means to lock the device in non-projected position, and means controlled by the cut-ofi' of the liquid supply to effect the return of said device into said casing.

11. A liquid distributing device, a receiving casing therefor, means to supply liquid to said device, means controlled by the supply of liquid to project said device from said casing into distributing position, and

4 means controlled by the cut-off of the liquid supply to effect the return of said device into said casing and to lock the same therein.

12. A zsprinkler, a casing wherein the same is "positioned in periods of non-use,

I and. means inaccessible from the exterior of the casing for locking said sprinkler therein.

13. A sprinkler comprising a longitudinally slidable tube-like member, a nozzle at the upper end thereof, a tubular casing therefor, a cover for the upper end of the casing, means to supply water to the lower end of said member, thereby to elevate the same and said nozzle and means inside the cover inaccessible exteriorly of the sprinkler to lock the tube-like member in lowered position.

14. A sprinkler having an operative and an inoperative position, said sprinkler being sustained-in operative position by the pressure of the liquid supplied thereto, and means under the control of the pressure of said liquid to lock said sprinkler in inoperative position.

- 15. A lawn sprinkler having a casing 1, a longitudinally slidable member 11 mounted thereon, a nozzle carried thereby, a cover 8 for said casing having ylocking means 26 inside the cover and inaccessible exteriorly of the sprinkler, and means to supply water to said casing 1.

16. A lawn sprinkler having a casing 1, a longitudinally slidable member 11 in communication with the source of water supply,

tion 26 coperating with said sur ace 27.

17. A lawn sprinkler comprising a member in a normally inactive osition at or below the level of the groun and adapted. to be elevated above such position for operation, means for preventing the manual movement of the member to operative position, said member bein adapted by its movement toward operative position automatically to render inoperative said means.

18. A Huid distributing device comprising a member having a normally' inactive position and adapted to be moved therefrom for operatiommeans for preventing the manual movement of the member to operative position, said member bein adapted by its movement toward operative position automatically to render inoperative said means.

19. A sprinkler having operative and non-operative positions, means to supply water thereto, means whereby through the water supply the movements of the sprinkler to and from the respective positions are control1ed,. and means inaccessible exteriorly of the sprinkler to secure the sprinkler against manual tampering in said inoperative position.

20. A lawn. or like sprinkler comprising a member in a normally inactive position at or below the level of the ground and adapted to be elevated above such position for operation, means for preventing the manual movement of the member to operative position, and means controlled through the water supply whereby said member in its movement toward operative position au- -tomatically renders inoperative the said means.

21. A lawn or like sprinkler comprising a member in a normally inactive position at or below-the level of the ground and adapted to be elevated above such position for elevation, means including a coverl for preventing tlie manual movement of the member to operative position, a valve whereby water may be admitted to said sprinkler, said member being adapted by'its movement toward operative position, whenr the water is admitted by opening said valve automatically,- to render inoperative said means.

22. A sprinkler and means under the control of the water supply to the sprinkleiyto render the same inaccessible.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. y

LEE H. PARKER.

Seite! of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the "Gommiuloner o! Patents,`

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